Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The possibility that Hamas could be removed from its base in Qatar has raised pressure on the Iran-backed group as the US prepares for the transition to the administration of Donald Trump, who is seen as particularly pro-Israeli. But no one is betting that Hamas will soon be finished, having dominated Gaza and its society for almost two decades.
Qatar, whose interlocutor roles underpin its international stature, has dismissed but did not deny reports that it has asked senior Hamas figure Khaled Meshaal and other political leaders of the group to leave within a month. Hamas moved to Qatar after falling out with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad over the suppression of the 2011 revolt against his rule.
Regional and US officials said Washington has asked Qatar to expel Hamas after the militants rejected repeated offers of a ceasefire, the latest of which was shortly before the US election. The proposal was based on releasing about 100 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas and a partial Israeli military drawdown. The group turned down the offer, citing a lack of permanent withdrawal among other objections.
Removing Hamas from Qatar would deprive the group of a sanctuary in a moderate Arab state with connections to both Iran, Hamas's most powerful supporter, and the West.
Hazem Ayyad, a prominent Jordanian political researcher, said Israel was behind the US request, as part of its efforts to further "push Hamas against the wall". He warned, however, that ejecting the group is in the interest of neither Washington nor Qatar.
Iraq, Iran, Algeria and Yemen have been touted as possible new bases for Mr Meshaal and other senior Hamas officials.
"Hamas has gotten used to Qatar and has been comfortable [operating] there," Mr Ayyad said. "Qatar has also allowed easy US access to Hamas. If Hamas is gone from Qatar, it will be also unsuitable for the other parties. Who will Washington talk to about the 100 hostages and about its plans for the day after in Gaza?"
He predicted Qatar will try to play for time in meeting the US request until Mr Trump takes power in January. "The Hamas card gives Qatar [diplomatic] weight," he said. "They don't want to be without it when Trump comes and they sit with him on the table."
In rare criticism of Hamas by a public figure from Gaza, Islamic scholar Salman Al Dayeh said the group's attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, had breached basic principles of Islam and should have been avoided.
Mr Ayyad said that although the humanitarian suffering in Gaza had undermined Hamas, wiping out the group's military wing remains extremely difficult because as long as it "has a social incubator, it will keep firing and will remain alive".
The Gaza war, now in its 14th month, has destabilised the Middle East, expanding into Lebanon and raising the risk of sustained, direct hostilities between Israel and Iran. The war started in October last year after Hamas and other Palestinian groups supported by Tehran killed 1,200 people in attacks on Israel. Health officials in Gaza say more than 43,500 people in Gaza have been killed in the subsequent Israeli invasion.
The war also affected the US election, with President-elect Donald Trump accusing the current Joe Biden administration of wavering in its support for Israel as it fights two wars, in Gaza and in Lebanon. In his first presidency, Mr Trump mediated a resumption of Arab relations with Israel, including a role in the 2020 Abraham Accords.
But his Middle East peace plan, which proposed economic benefits but little in the way of statehood, was rejected by both the religious Hamas and the secular, western-backed Palestinian Liberation Organisation, which is headed by President Mahmoud Abbas and controls the Palestinian Administration in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
One European diplomat who has travelled repeatedly to Israel and the Palestinian territories this year said the election of Mr Trump deprives Hamas of "good options" if it leaves Qatar.
Turkey would not want to antagonise the new president, having diluted its anti-US rhetoric before the elections in case Mr Trump won, he said. Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani wants to shed his government's links with Iran's proxy militias. Yemen's Houthis would be of "no use" to Hamas because of their isolation.
"Algeria is the only country with enough connections to negotiate on behalf of Hamas, but barely," the diplomat said.
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
TICKETS
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The%20specs
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, kick-off 10.45pm
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
More on Turkey's Syria offence
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Wednesday's results
Finland 3-0 Armenia
Faroes Islands 1-0 Malta
Sweden 1-1 Spain
Gibraltar 2-3 Georgia
Romania 1-1 Norway
Greece 2-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Liechtenstein 0-5 Italy
Switzerland 2-0 Rep of Ireland
Israel 3-1 Latvia
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
MATCH INFO
Schalke 0
Werder Bremen 1 (Bittencourt 32')
Man of the match Leonardo Bittencourt (Werder Bremen)
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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RACE CARD
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m
8.15pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m
9.50pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
match info
Maratha Arabians 138-2
C Lynn 91*, A Lyth 20, B Laughlin 1-15
Team Abu Dhabi 114-3
L Wright 40*, L Malinga 0-13, M McClenaghan 1-17
Maratha Arabians won by 24 runs
Company%20profile
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THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Company%20Profile
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Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.